


Operation: We Need A Name For This Operation!

by MoonAndShadows



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Alien Gender/Sexuality, F/M, Good Parent Professor Membrane, M/M, Multi, Other, Role Reversal, Sibling Bonding, Switch membrane for dib
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2020-12-21 14:49:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21076670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonAndShadows/pseuds/MoonAndShadows
Summary: Professor Membrane and Zim romance centered fanfic, basically an altered timeline. uhhhh welcome to what middle school me wanted to write but didnt have the skill, joke is do i have the skill now?





	1. Feelings

The water on this planet burns like acid, it's a strange phenomenon. Zim goes through his first week on earth running tests, the time passes faster than on Irk. He tries to distract himself, not letting something as silly as homesickness bother him. 

He's not fond of the constant weather changes and irregular emotions humans seem to have. On the second week he sees his neighbor outside his "living room", as humans call it on TV, viewing screen. 

The human seems to be a young adult male carrying a baby on his hip and a young toddler gripping his right hand. He was tall and had blue goggles hiding the color of his eyes from zim's view. He was wearing a long white lab coat with skull buttons but what the small alien found most intriguing about this human was his hair. 

His hair was definitely black but it shone blue, and it was short everywhere except for one almost ponytail like part coming out of his hair in a lightning shaped manor. He was the only human to catch zim's eye for even a moment, and now he couldn't look away.

How does one explain the sudden crushing feeling in his Squeedlyspooch? The feeling of warnings going off in his brain and sending the alerts straight to his pak. 

This feeling was overwhelming and dizzying. He felt nauseous and sickeningly warm. Was this another symptom of his defectiveness? Probably, he turned and walked back into his elevator to go down to his laboratory. He wants to rid himself of these nasty feelings.


	2. Interest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit i forgot i gave Professor Membrane a first name so yeah, enjoy.

Grim Membrane noticed the new neighbor as soon as they arrived. Immediately the secretive stranger peaked his scientific interest. Membrane couldn't help looking out his window at night to catch large pinkish red eyes. 

That was what first threw him off guard. He started to take notes on their neighbor. He found out more and more as time went on, but he was a busy man with two children. He didn't have too much time for personal research since he spent most of his hours at Membrane Labs. 

He was already decently well known at his young age and had a research lab that he owned. It had happened a little too fast if he was honest. Most people didn't know his first name anymore. He almost feels as if its been legally changed to Professor. 

Then a new worker application came in, his name was Zim Invade. The name caught his eyes only for a brief moment before he moved on to his research. He wasn't the one who dealt with accepting new workers but he could fire them. This was one of the many bonuses of owning the research building and being head scientist. 

He did eventually meet this new employee, that means they must have passed the multiple IQ test to land a spot in a lab and not just a job as some coffee runner. This immediately impressed him. It shouldn't have been impressive though, he had many capable scientists working in his Many labs. yet here he was, left stunned with awe.

This Zim officially has his interest.


	3. Match My Wavelength.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it be. have a new chapter.

Zim highly doubted there was anyone who could ever match his level of intellectual intelligence, he was a Irken soldier after all, and they were the best of the best. But, then he met his Membrane. 

He was Superior in every way. Membrane was tall, good looking for an earth human, and had an intelligence to rival even Irk's Tallests. 

Zim worked hard to slowly move up in ranks, from smaller ranking labs to bigger and bigger ones, until they told him he was being promoted to Professor Membranes assistant. it had a nice feeling to it.

The air in the room seemed to get cold after that as everyone whispers about how every single assistant or partner the boss has had has been fired. this does not deter Zim, doesn't even shad his confidence at all. He's going to win over his Membrane and invade earth.

(Time hop)

What they don't tell you in your invasion courses is that after almost seven years of trying to win over the enemy you might get a little attached.

They don't tell you that your pak doesn't have all the answers. The tallest leaves you with little to no instructions in a foriegn land where you may find someone that complete meets you where you are. to be brutally honest it scares Zim more than any war. 

Days bleed together with HIS Tallest. time is no longer a prison, it's just a hurdle they must overcome. there is no label to what they have, he doesn't dare question it out loud.

His Membrane promoted him to his lab partner one day. It was a shock, but like everything else Zim faced it head on. 

When he came in wearing a labcoat a bit too big for him and goggles and made him look odd, just as always. Grim just smiled and said "Match my wavelength." 

Was this a test? In the invader academy he never did well with those. once again that familiar feeling in his Squeedlyspooch appears...he hates it.


	4. Sheet on my Doorstep?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had forgotten i had a finished chapter prepared 2 months ago. Sorry...

They work together like a dance, Grim has learned this dance better than any tango or waltz. he moves to this rhythm in the lab, he follows behind Zim and catches his minor errors while the small man does the same for him. They work together in perfect harmony.

He never expected another human being to match his pace and thoughts like Zim does. He never knew he wanted this feeling so badly. Now he craves the closeness of the smaller being and doesn't want to leave him as his shift ends.

Grim finds any number of excuses to keep zim there with him working on projects from the time the sun slowly falls until it creeps over the horizon. Most of the time it works, it may cost him some extra money on babysitting but its all worth it in the end.

He gets hours of quality science time with one of his most beloved people….did he truly just think of Zim that way? Beloved.   
Loved.   
In love.   
Fallen deeply.  
Falling deeper.  
He loves him.

This is a tiny problem, while workplace romances are not against any rules, he will not risk losing such an amazing long term lab partner. 

Zim is a stunning, brilliant, genius that takes Grim's breath away sometimes. And to be fair, Grim may have used the technology in the labs to prove that Zim is not human. 

So, even more reason to keep him close and protected. 

Watching Zim leave the lab tonight makes his heart ache. 

(Pov switch usually i don't state those but its mid chapter.)

Walking back home from Membrane labs is always so lonely and Zim can't figure out why. He's a genius soldier of a superior race, he should know simple things like why hes feeling a stupid human emotion like loneliness. 

He hears a ringing in his head as he gets close to his home. Like a beacon alerting him of something needing his immediate assistance. 

He doesn't hesitate to take his legs out of his back to travel the distance faster to get to his doorstep. The signal is coming from there. Right there.

This. Small. Basket?

Zim instincts kick in and he scopes up the basket and takes it inside. He dismisses the cheerful screech of GIR who made burnt toast. 

Once his pak legs have been put away he slowly unwraps the silent yet squirming bundle of sharp, yet smooth, chubby limbs. 

It's a irken smeet, and it was on his doorstep. 

"You have an incoming call from the Tallest!" Says his computer with a sassy grin in his tone. Honestly, this can't get worse.


	5. Naming Challenges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long pause in updating any of my works. I just got inspired kinda out of no where. Also chapter seven MIGHT have a wedding.

Zim isnt given a lot of information from the tallest. They just tell him that Tak was the one to drop off the smeet from irk and that it's defective.

To be honest this could get worse. The smeet didn't cry unless it was put down or not in contact with another living being. 

Well living should be used loosely since the tiny thing won't cry if GIR is petting its hair and singing the "happy baby" song. 

Its Zim's job to give this smeet a name. "Fuck, the almighty Zim did not plan on having a smeet." He sighs and continues his list of irk smeet names. 

His alarm for work goes off and is ignored. 

Days pass one after another. But time isn't really the same here as it is on irk. This smeet was almost to the adolescent stage by the time it was given to him. Still small and chubby but starting to get its sharp edges. 

His phone must've went off a couple times since he started trying to figure out a name. 

"Zirk?" Zim feels as if he's narrowed it down to one name. He repeats it and lets it leave his mouth in both english and irken. "Perfect."

He checks his phone and notices that all the messages are from his Membrane.

Where are you? -GM

Are you alright?-GM

Have you quit your job at the labs?-GM

Please, say no.-GM

Please, say something.-GM

The messages span over the course of four earth days. He doesn't exactly know how to respond. 

Zim did not quit, Zim got distracted. working on an important project. If you will allow zim can come into the lab today?-ZI

The response is almost immediate. 

Yes, please. I'd like to see you, Zim. -GM

Then things kinda go back to normal for the most part. Well mostly.

Grim asks zim out on a date that night while they are working. Zim agrees not exactly knowing what that means. They start what Grim calls "dating" soon after their second date. 

Zim finds it similar to Irken courtship from long ago when they use to have mates. 

It's nice. Zim isn't use to having such a nice thing.


	6. Five years, Three months, Six hours, and Ten minutes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok it might be chapter 8 instead. Gotta work up to a wedding ya know. Will introduce some new people at the wedding.

Zim doesn't remember the exact day he landed on earth. If he checked his logs he could find the exact day. 

He does remember the first time Grim kissed him. The taller man had picked him up and said he wanted to do a scientific investigation, then he gave Zim a gentle kiss on the lips. 

An earth kiss is quite similar to one of the many ways Irkens use to show affection. Along with nuzzling, purring, and talking in their native tongue. 

That was five years ago. 

Well exactly five years, three months, six hours, and ten minutes ago. 

Zim has kept Zirk hidden during this time. Maybe not his best decision. He's also never revealed himself as an irken. 

He's met both of Grims smeets, Dib doesn't like him at all and he gets along quite well with Gaz. They play video games together. 

Those two are inseparable. As much as Gaz bullies her older brother, they tend to lean on each other for support. 

He hears Dib talk about the alien in his class one night when Zim is over for dinner. Says the kids name is Zirk and that he's certain that hes an alien. 

To be honest Zim doesn't remember what happened after that. He must've froze. Or maybe he blacked out. But minutes later he comes back into his mind and all three of them are starring at him.

He excuses himself and calls the only person he knows to help. 

Gore answers the communicator a little annoyed. "ZIM, YOU KNOW I'M A VERY BUSY IRKEN…" his voice is loud but also far away but suddenly he's closer. 

"Sorry was in the middle of upgrading my RRR, how is GIR doing by the way? Is the little dude in the need of an upgrade? Is that why you called?.." Gore says with a sigh. 

"You're still stationed on earth right? Giving the tallest information about humans? Zim would like to know if you could fix his disguise machine." With Gore you gotta talk around him a bit. Especially when it comes to science talk. 

"Of course, anything for what the humans would call my baby brother. HAHA!" Gore laughs and seems to be far away again. 

"No irken is truly related as siblings or parents, Gore. Zim knows that. You know that too, Gore." He is starting his walk back home when Grim comes outside. 

"Leaving so soon, Zim?" Grim looks concerned but the feeling doesn't reach his voice.


End file.
